The last decade has brought significant migration changes in Poland, particularly in the context of the influx of foreigners, mainly from Ukraine, but also from other parts of the world. This phenomenon has had a major impact on the labor market and social structure. The number of foreigners in the Polish labor market has increased tenfold during this time, which requires continuous legal and organizational adjustments, especially in terms of residence legalization, work, integration, and the provision of adequate living conditions. These actions should be accompanied by a broad public debate that considers the voices of all parties.

THE MIGRATION FORUM, an initiative of the Polish HR Forum, aims to enable such an exchange of opinions.

As the Polish HR Forum, for over 20 years we have been speaking out on key issues concerning the labor market in Poland. One subject that is still not sufficiently present in broader discussions is the challenges related to the integration of foreigners in our labor market. In many environments, the topic of migration is not treated as a priority, often ignored, or considered too difficult to discuss. Our ambition is to create a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences, where experts from various fields will jointly seek solutions to these difficult but extremely important challenges.

The new migration reality

The last 10 years have been a time when Poland entered into a completely new migration reality. The changing structure of society, including the growing influx of foreigners, is a phenomenon we must cope with. Although the largest group of migrants in Poland are Ukrainian citizens, they are not the only group coming to our country. For over a decade, migrants from various parts of the world have been arriving, and their presence is changing the Polish labor market and society.

In the past 10 years, the number of foreigners in the Polish labor market has increased tenfold. This is a huge change that requires adjustments from both a legislative and organizational standpoint. In particular, it involves ensuring security, creating appropriate conditions for social integration, and preparing the labor market, including providing suitable housing and other basic needs.

Integration of foreigners in Poland

Data indicates that currently, over a million foreigners are working in Poland. The employment rate of migrants stands at 75%, indicating that the process of integrating them into the labor market is progressing relatively well in Poland. Employers benefit from the work of foreigners, and their presence translates into economic growth for Poland. This is a positive aspect, but the question arises, what next? Is it enough? Will the actions taken by local authorities, the government, and society be sufficient to prepare for the challenges of the future?

Demographic challenges on the horizon

Looking to the future, we must answer the question of what will happen in 10 or 20 years. Projections indicate that over the next decade, more than 2 million workers will leave the labor market in Poland. This represents 12% of the entire working-age population. This will particularly impact the industrial, educational, and health care sectors—up to 11% of industry workers and 30% of the education sector will retire. This is a significant challenge that will force us to rethink employment and integration strategies for foreigners to fill this gap.

Experts warn that without appropriate action, our GDP could decrease by 6-8% over the next decade if we fail to effectively address the demographic issues. Although we are trying to combat this trend by taking various initiatives, such as supporting migration, the question to be asked is: are we doing it well enough? And, equally importantly, are we capable of organizing this migration in a way that will be beneficial for all parties?

Migration and the integration of foreigners is a topic that requires decisive and multifaceted discussion. The changes occurring in the Polish labor market are not only an economic issue but also a social and legislative one. Only joint actions of various institutions—governmental, local, and non-governmental—can ensure that Poland will be able to cope with the challenges ahead. The key to success is to create such conditions that allow migrants not only to take up work but also to become an integral part of Polish society.

 Post-conference publication of THE MIGRATION FORUM